LG Joins Android Auto With The Open Automotive Alliance

LG is the first smartphone maker to announce that they are joining the Open Automotive Alliance, which is a group of companies that will make Android Auto devices.

The smartphone maker joins a range of car makers, like Audio, Honda, GM, plus Google and NVIDIA, the goal of the alliance is to provide better connectivity and in car features.

LG showcased its new range of audio, visual and navigation (AVN) system solutions for connected cars at Google I/O 2014, the annual developer conference held in San Francisco. LG’s advanced AVN system, which is expected to be available by 2015, enables drivers to simply connect their Android device via a single cable to vehicles featuring Google’s in-car interface platform to easily and conveniently access their smartphones’ features and functions. For example, drivers can view and control their favorite smartphone navigation apps or search their mobile phone’s contacts to make calls and send text messages through the in-car display.

LG’s flagship Android handset, the LG G3

As yet Google has not revealed any devices that will be compatible with their new Android Auto system, but we suspect that the majority of LGs devices will work with the system, now that they have joined the Open Automotive Alliance.

We suspect that the other top Android smartphone makers like Samsung, Sony and HTC will also be joining the Alliance. The first Google Auto cars are expected to launch later this year.

Luxury car maker Audi also announced recently that they would launch their first Android Auto cars in 2015, they are one of the first companies to support both Google’s Android Auto and Apple’s CarPlay.